Page 85 of Backup Plan

“I know. But that’s the thing. You don’t have to. Because if shouldering burdens together is part of a relationship, then maybe so is anticipating what your partner needs.”

She runs her knuckles along my jawline. “How’d you get so smart?”

I can’t help a smirk. “Must’ve taken it when I was inside you.”

She gasps. “Liam Bradley!”

I move in and thrust my hips against her body. “Care to make me a little smarter?”

“Mm,” she moans. “Okay. Maybe one more time before I have to go.”

I chuckle as she lifts her leg to straddle mine and moves her mouth to press to mine.

I shift so I’m at the right angle to slide into her just like this, both of us on our sides, moving quietly, tenderly in the late morning light as I massage one of her tits in my hand and focus on the feel of her pussy as it surrounds me, grips me, pulls me in like it never wants to let go. As I focus on the feel of her mouth on mine, I drive into her and carry us both toward yet another brutal climax that only manages to bond us still closer together in ways I’ve never bonded with another woman.

On our way to the airport, we’re both quietly subdued. Neither of us wants this weekend to end, but it has to.

She breaks the silence first. “Look, what we talked about before…I want to. I want to find a way to make this work. I want to find a way to lean on you and accept what you’re offering. There’s just a lot of obstacles in our way.”

“I know. And we’ll figure out how to fight them.”

She sighs, and it feels heavy.

I reach over and take her hand in mine.

“Hey. We’ve got this, okay?” I say quietly. She nods, and she brushes a tear away. “I love you, Pen.”

“I love you, too,” she says quietly as she fights back more tears.

I just hope that love will be enough.

CHAPTER 26: Penny Calloway

Heather

The bliss of the weekend wears off nearly the second I land back in Chicago.

Truth be told, I fell in love with San Diego in the short time I was there. It’s a beautiful place, and it’s so different from Chicago.

I love my hometown, but I don’t love that I’m tethered to it for the rest of my life because of Brent. It doesn’t seem fair. I marry a guy, we have kids, he cheats on me, and now I’m the one being punished because he’s the one with a bigger wallet.

It sucks, and nothing showcases that more than when I pick up the kids from the house we once shared on my way back to Liam’s.

“Mama!” Benji yells when Brent opens the door to me.

“Baby boy!” I say, and I grab him up into my arms even though he’s nearly too big for me to pick up anymore.

“Mama!” Sammy yells next, rounding the corner as he races toward the front door.

“No running in the house,” Brent scolds sharply.

“You can always run to Mama, Sammy,” I say, glaring at Brent.

“He’s going by Sam now,” Brent says.

I raise my brows and look at my little boy. “You tell me, kiddo.”

He glances between his father and me, and ultimately, he scoots in a little closer to me. “I like Sammy.”